It’s not new news that teacher’s excessive workload has been an issue for many years, and it’s not being helped by the ongoing shortage of teachers in the Education industry. The excessive pressure of a new exam system in secondary schools in Scotland have resulted in the Teachers voting in favour of industrial action, the TES reports.

Members of the Educational Institute of Scotland (EIS) teaching union are now set to take action short of strike action and could refuse to cooperate with the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA). A total of 95 per cent of those balloted voted in favour of the move. Teachers have been vocal against the impact new National (similar to GCSE) and Higher (similar to A level) exams has had on their workload, leading to schools suffering from ‘brain drain’. But it seems their voices aren’t being heard and workload is becoming intolerable and getting worse.

The union said members would “work to contract” with regard to some exams-related activity. EIS general secretary Larry Flanagan said: “This ballot result reflects the frustration of Scotland’s secondary teachers over the excessive assessment demands being placed on them and their pupils, particularly around unit assessments at National 5 and Higher. The EIS now has a very clear mandate to implement an immediate work-to-contract in relation to SQA activity.” A spokeswoman for Nicola Sturgeon said the first minister was "very disappointed" with the ballot result. Teachers are being forced into taking action with the hope of achieving a decent work/life balance, which for most seems like a faraway dream...